The human eye is the organ of sight or vision, a substantially durable globe or ball that is moveable in the orbit or socket. Protection for the eye is provided for in the lids and lashes, and which are very sensitive and subject to involuntary or reflex action when the eye is disturbed by the approach or touching of foreign objects. Consequently the administering of medication to the eye can be difficult, and especially for those who are muscularly afflicted, simply aged, or in any way incapacitated in a manner to affect dexterity and/or equilibrium. Generally it is difficult for any person to administer medication to his own eyes, and particularly those persons who are incapacitated in a manner to adversely affect dexterity. Furthermore, the juxtapositioning of any object very close to the eye creates a condition wherein the person so administering said object cannot accurately judge position, and as a consequence the administering of liquid medication is often misdirected and thereby wasted as by washing away over the person's face. It is the use of eye-droppers for the application of medication with which this invention is concerned, namely any liquid medication that might be prescribed by an Oculist for the treatment of eye abnormalities and disease. It is, therefore, a general object of this invention to provide a therapeutic frame for self-administration of medication to the eyes, as may be prescribed by an Oculist. Although trained technicians can make the adjustments to the Oculists' prescription, it is a primary object herein for the individual person to fix the positioning of liquid application to suit the separate eyes. Further, this properly adjusted frame is adapted to be tamperproof and cannot later be maladjusted by those who are inexperienced in the anatomy of the eye. However, it is also feasible to retain adjustability of this frame for trial and/or later re-adjustment as circumstances require.
The usual optical frames are provided for mounting a pair of lenses before the eyes respectively. These frames are comprised of a bridge positioned over the person's nose, and a pair of laterally spaced rims supported by the bridge and held positioned to the person's brow by means of temples that extend therefrom to embrace the person's head over the ears. It is a frame such as this which is employed herein in combination with planar positioning means for the prescribed placement of an applicator guide to apply medication to the eye. For example, in the treatment of glaucoma, characterized by increased tension within and hardening of the eyeball, liquid medication is applied to the cornea as directly as possible; and not by indirection as might occur by flooding the eye from the corners thereof, for example. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide positioning means by which a prescribed placement of medication can be made according to an individual's anatomy. For instance, the inter-pupillary distance varies from person to person, and so does the height thereof with respect to the facial features; and there is of course asymmetry to be contended with. In other words, fine adjustments are to be made. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide for both inter-pupillary and height positioning of the aforesaid positioning means.
The transmission of light to the eye is a normal condition therefor, in order for a person to observe what is before him; darkness being detrimental. Therefore it is an object herein to provide for the transmission of light to the sensitive membranes of the eye, both for normal control of the iris and for vision, even though obstructed by the positioning means centered, for example, with the pupil in each instance. Accordingly, those members of this device which are disposed before the eyes are made of transparent material, all of which is conducive to cleanliness since smears are thereby easily detected and removed.
Inter-pupillary and height adjustment of the guide hereinabove referred to is to be retained, it being an object of this invention to provide lock means therefor. In carrying out this invention there is an individual slide for lateral and vertical adjustment and through which a clamp is engaged in right angularly related slots. As stated above, the slides are transparent members, adjustably secured by the lock means and adapted to be permanently secured by the application of solvent when required.
It is an object of this invention to cooperatively combine the aforesaid guide means, positioning means and lock means into one simple device; the lock means being a tubular clamp adapted to receive the dispensing tip of an eye-dropper and operable in said slide slots to permit adjustment. With the position determined by adjustment, the clamp means is operated to secure the slides. When absolute fixation is a requirement, solvent is applied between the (plastic) slides to fuse the same together in position.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive and yet practical device for the proper positioning of an eye dropper for the dispensing of medicaments to the eye, directly therefrom. In other words, the medication is dispensed directly from the dropper which can be sterilized, without contamination from this therapeutic frame and positioning means which may be contaminated to some extent by handling in the process of making ready for the application of said medication.